CVE-2025-20124

Description

A vulnerability in an API of Cisco ISE could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands as the root user on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insecure deserialization of user-supplied Java byte streams by the affected software. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted serialized Java object to an affected API. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the device and elevate privileges. Note: To successfully exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must have valid read-only administrative credentials. In a single-node deployment, new devices will not be able to authenticate during the reload time.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

9.9

CRITICAL

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:H

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-502 Deserialization of Untrusted Data

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
cisco	identity_services_engine	< 3.1
cisco	identity_services_engine	All
cisco	identity_services_engine	All
cisco	identity_services_engine	All
cisco	identity_services_engine	All
cisco	identity_services_engine	All
cisco	identity_services_engine	All
cisco	identity_services_engine	All
cisco	identity_services_engine	All
cisco	identity_services_engine	All
cisco	identity_services_engine	All
cisco	identity_services_engine	All
cisco	identity_services_engine	All
cisco	identity_services_engine	All
cisco	identity_services_engine	All
cisco	identity_services_engine	All
cisco	identity_services_engine	All
cisco	identity_services_engine	All
cisco	identity_services_engine	All
cisco	identity_services_engine	All
cisco	identity_services_engine	All
cisco	identity_services_engine	All

References

Advisories & Patches

https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-ise-multivuls-FTW9AOXF

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-20124? +

A vulnerability in an API of Cisco ISE could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands as the root user on an affected device. This vulnerability is due to insecure deserialization of user-supplied Java byte streams by the affected software. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted serialized Java object to an affected API. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the device and elevate privileges. Note: To successfully exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must have valid read-only administrative credentials. In a single-node deployment, new devices will not be able to authenticate during the reload time. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.9 (CRITICAL).

How severe is CVE-2025-20124? +

CVE-2025-20124 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 9.9 out of 10, rated CRITICAL. This is a critical vulnerability that should be patched immediately.

What products are affected by CVE-2025-20124? +

CVE-2025-20124 affects products from cisco, specifically: identity_services_engine. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2025-20124? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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